Fighting reality
by ImprisonedByTechnology
Summary: The most loyal servant of the Dark Lord is not only a servant, but his Chosen One. She didn't care about her supposed title as the Girl-Who-Lived. The only thing that mattered to her, was her beloved Tom. TomR & fem!Harry. Warnings: OoC!Harry and heavy clichés.


**Warnings: OoC!Harry and heavy clichés.**

* * *

She was out of the Castle after curfew again, feeling the cold, brisk winter air hit her face. Her left hand sought her wand and pulled it out from her pocket, casting a warming charm in her robes to make herself a bit more comfortable. It was all she could do to see him, because she could not risk herself to ge caught while in his company. It could be dangerous for him and she didn't want to risk it.

A soft silver light got her attention and she turned towards the edge of the Forbidden Forest. There he was, his eyes glowing red as always. She smirked and walked to meet him.

He could not hide his happiness, a smile showing in his lips and his eyes sparkling with excitement. Hera Potter smiled too.

"I thought you wouldn't come today. Weren't there any more captured Ministry workers to torture?"

The man only took her by the waist and gave her a deep kiss, showing her his desire and lust. Hera could not help but feel herself getting lost in is lips. She smiled when she noticed the subtle scent of blood, perhaps coming from the sole of his shoes.

"_Torturing _innocents_ is not as important as you, my dearest_" hissed the man in their not so secret language. "Besides, didn't you begged me to come?"

The girl laughed softly.

"Even if I had begged you, why would you do it? Haven't you made clear so many times that you don't care for what I want?" even if her words sounded bitter, that wasn't Hera's intention. She didn't even feel that way. She knew from the beginning he wasn't the caring type. Tom Riddle could love, but he didn't know how to show it besides the very passionate -and physical- displays of affection.

"What? And leave you with your merry band of Gryffindors?" he responded sarcastically, with bright eyes and a smirk on his pale lips. "Of course not, my dear, they could corrupt you with their morality"

"You know very well it could be me the one corrupting them, but His Majesty, the Dark Lord, wants to keep me secret" accused Hera.

Tom blinked with mock surprise.

"The Dark Lord wants you to become his greatest weapon, his Queen on this chess match. Are you saying you want out?"

Hera crossed her arms behind his neck, playing with his hair.

"You know I will do anything for you, but I don't want to hide" answered the girl with resolution. "You know I'm not the same girl who tried to stop you from taking the Philosopher's Stone, I'm not that naïve anymore. I know Dumbledore is giving you trouble with his Order, I've heard them talk and they're planning something. If you only let me go with you, I'll be your most faithful Death Eater"

As she ended her little speech, Tom could see Hera was right. She had grown to be a strong and fierce young woman, but he knew she was not yet prepared for the battlefield. Besides, he had other plans for her that didn't involve the Dark Mark.

"Never say that again, Hera. You know the prophecy: we're equals. You are not my servant. You are not a Death Eater" he said to her with impatience; he might love her, but that didn't make him more tolerant. "It's dangerous, and you will remain here at Hogwarts, but as I agree with you to a certain extent, I'll give you a mission"

Hera's eyes lit up at his words and promptly kissed him, embracing with her delicate but strong arms.

"Anything for you, my Lord"

Tom Riddle smirked.

"You will kill Albus Dumbledore" said Tom, and without waiting for Hera to say anything, he continued. "Draco Malfoy will be trying to do so, but you know him. He's a coward like his father. And..."

"And you want me to step up and do it, when he fails to kill Dumbledore" interrupted Hera, gaining a nod from the Dark Lord. "Do I have to give Draco a chance first, or can I go and kill him immediately?"

At this point, Tom scowled and taking out his wand, conjured a seat of a dark stone. Gesturing for Hera to sit, he explained.

"I believe Dumbledore will soon get in contact with you to discuss the matter of my Horcruxes" said gravely Tom to an attentive Hera. "He destroyed the Gaunt Ring, but hurt himself when trying it on. He will try to make you hunt them and destroy them. So, your task, your real task, is to learn what he knows and to keep an eye on him. Dumbledore might be old, but he is no fool and will try to finish me before he dies. If he doesn't, he will expect you to do it"

Hera smiled with malice.

"But he doesn't know me" said the girl smiling tenderly to him. "He thinks he has my loyalty, but we know the truth"

And they did. Tom kissed her again, knowing her loyalty laid with him. Maybe Hera was not a Death Eater or a servant, but she was the most faithful to him.

* * *

The Dark Lord paced around his room at Malfoy Manor. In between his serious thoughts, a particular idea came to mind: I need to find my own place.

Lucius had been a good host, but this was just not working anymore. He had too many problems keeping Hera a secret from his Death Eaters and her constant apparitions in the Manor started to make Lucius suspicious. Of course, he didn't know it was Hera, but he knew someone was entering his home.

Tom sat on the desk, trying to come up with a plan to accomplish three things. The first one and most important: to kill Albus Dumbledore. The wizard had been a good teacher, but there was only a matter of time before he realised Tom was far from redeeming (in the eyes of the Light leader, of course).

The second one was linked with the third; he needed to protect Hera from her own recklessness and in doing so, avoiding making her feel useless. The young woman was all he ever wanted in a lover, even if it wasn't love what he gave her, but she was too young and her power was not strong enough yet. Compared to her peers in Hogwarts, she certainly was the most powerful, but real life isn't just Hogwarts. The Dark Lord had learned that the hard way.

Hera still had that sense of immortality that all young people have, and not even her brief encounter with death (at his wand, when she was just a mere child of eleven years old) made her get rid of that idea. If she faced the so-called Dumbledore Army she had formed to have fun and keep her façade as the Girl-Who-Lived, Hera would undoubtedly win, but the Order of the Phoenix and Dumbledore were another thing altogether.

She wasn't ready, but how to tell Hera without making it seem like a challenge?

"Styx."

his voice was low, but the house elf presented itself in front of him. "Yes, my lord?"

"Bring me Draco Malfoy"

The elf didn't reply, but disappeared from the room. The Dark Lord stood up from the desk. It wouldn't do to let the Malfoy kid see him acting like a school boy.

Not even a minute later, the elf bowed to him as Draco Malfoy kneeled in the floor in front of him.

"Stand," he said. The simple command made the boy stand up, but his eyes stayed fixated in the floor. At least this boy had manners, unlike Lucius. "Hera will try to help you," he said. "You will accept her support, making sure to keep her safe. Nobody can hurt her and nobody can know she's mine. Understood?"

"Yes, my lord."

The Dark Lord permitted a smile to show on his face. "Good. You may go, Draco."

* * *

Draco was about to apparate away when he saw his Master's dark smile. If he had been scowling or smirking he wouldn't have worried, but a smile in the face of the Dark Lord? Malfoy shuddered and vanished those thoughts from his head. He needed to think, and quickly.

How to kill Dumbledore without being caught was one thing. Doing so while babysitting Hera Potter was another thing altogether.

Draco respected her power (after all, she was the Dark Lord's chosen!) but he couldn't see why did she have to be such a nuisance. The girl was vain and self-centered, unless she was with the rest of her Gryffindor friends pretending to be the saviour of the Light. Draco didn't understand her.

But that didn't matter. He just needed to keep her alive while letting her assist him in the murder of the second greatest wizard of recent times.

No big deal, right?


End file.
